In the prior art, it is known to provide carpet extractors with a hand held wand having a cleaning solution applicator and suction nozzle attached to a flexible suction hose that is permanently attached or attachable to the extractor for above floor cleaning. Such an arrangement provides for convenient above floor cleaning of upholstery, stairs and the like and for convenient cleaning of small spots on carpeting with the hand held wand.
In existing extractors having a selectively attachable suction hose and hand held wand, the end of the suction hose commonly has a convertor on the end of the hose for attaching the suction hose to the extractor. In some existing extractors a removable element, such as a removable floor nozzle or a removable section of suction duct, is removed from the extractor and the convertor on the suction hose is attached to the extractor in place of the removable element. In other existing extractors, the convertor is inserted into a port in the suction duct into fluid communication with the suction duct. In either case, when the convertor is attached to the extractor, suction is diverted from the extractor's floor nozzle to the suction hose and hand held wand for above floor cleaning. It is also known to simply attach a converter to the floor nozzle itself, such that the floor nozzle draws air through the suction hose for above floor cleaning.
In existing extractors with a permanently attached hose and hand held wand, it is typically necessary to manually activate a valve in the suction line via a lever, knob, or the like, in order to divert the suction from the floor nozzle to the suction hose for above floor cleaning.